Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski praised the bravery of Ukrainian soldiers and civlians and thanked the UK for its support (Picture courtesy Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski)

The leader of the Ukrainian Catholic community in the UK has said the milestone visit of US president Joe Biden to Kyiv is a ‘great sign of hope’ amid the ‘horrors’ of the full-scale Russian invasion.  

Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, speaking from the western city of Lviv yesterday, also hailed the ‘fabulous resolve’ of the Ukrainian people as he prepares to mark a year since the attack began.

Bishop Nowakowski spent just over a week in Ukraine, where he met fellow clergy and workers with the Mudriy Sprava charitable foundation, which has been providing humanitarian relief in frontline areas.

During his unannounced, high-risk visit to the capital yesterday, president Biden said Russian president Vladimir Putin was ‘failing’ in his attempt to ‘wipe Ukraine off the map’. 

The US leader met his counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy and laid a wreath at a memorial wall for those who have died fighting Russian aggression since the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. He is due to reaffirm his commitment to Ukraine and NATO in Warsaw this afternoon.

Bishop Nowakowski, who is due to return to the UK today, said: ‘Joe Biden’s visit shows that the world hasn’t forgotten about Ukraine and that the world is standing with and behind Ukraine in this horrific war.

‘President Biden’s visit to Ukraine is not only symbolic but a great sign of hope for the people of Ukraine who have been struggling with this war, not only since last year but since 2014.’

Bishop Nowakowski with Borys Danyliv at a warehouse used by Mudriy Sprava, or ‘Wise Works’ (Picture courtesy of Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski)

Bishop Nowakowski and Mr Danyliv walk past consignments of humanitarian aid for Ukraine (Picture courtesy Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski)

To a backdrop of air raid sirens, the two leaders laid US and Ukrainian flags at the memorial for fallen military personnel outside St Michael’s Monastery in Kyiv’s Mykhailivska Square. 

Bishop Nowakowski, who has visited the dedication on many occasions, said: ‘The memorial is an important symbol of Ukraine’s resilience. It’s Ukraine’s desire for freedom and democracy and people being willing to sacrifice their lives. It shows that Ukraine is not willing to compromise its democracy and its freedom.’  

The bishop, who is due to mark the one-year anniversary at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London on Friday, praised friendly nations for opening their ‘hearts and homes’ to those fleeing the war.

‘This year has been a time of great tragedy, we have seen so many young people’s futures destabilised,’ he said.

US president Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy embrace in front of the memorial wall in Kyiv (Photo by Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP)

‘It’s hard for people to plan for their future lives when it’s difficult to know what’s going to happen tomorrow.

‘At the same time the world, and especially the United Kingdom, has opened up its hearts and homes to the people who are fleeing.

‘But it also seems, and I especially find this when I am in Ukraine, that the more Russia exerts its aggression and commits horrific crimes, the more Ukrainian people are not willing to lay down and to go into war fatigue.

‘They want their land and their lives back. Talking to the people who are here, including the elderly and those who are defending Ukraine, what comes across is the fabulous resilience that they have.

‘The visit of Joe Biden will bolster that, especially during this week.’

A vespers evening service at the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Ivano-Frankivsk (Picture courtesy Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski)

Bishop Nowakowski is on his third trip to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began and has been meeting with members of the Ukrainian Catholic Church’s pastoral team, which he heads. He arrived in Lviv in the early hours of Monday after taking a night train from Kyiv.

The bishop has also attended the episcopal ordination of two friends who have become bishops and travelled to Hostomel just north-west of the capital, which was liberated by Ukrainian forces in one of the defining moments of the war to date.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Patriarch of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, ordains Bishop Mykola (Picture courtesy Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski)

Bishop Nowakowski spoke from Ukraine where he attended an ordination at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv (Picture courtesy Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski)

The faith leader first spoke to Metro.co.uk on February 16 last year as he sent a message of solidarity between Britain and Ukraine while Russian troops massed on the border ready to invade. The cathedral then became a focal point for refugees who are being supported by well-wishers and Ukrainians already settled in London.

On Friday, the clergyman is due to mark the one-year anniversary by taking part in an inter-faith prayer service at the cathedral in Mayfair.

MPs and diplomats will be attending the event but ‘anyone of goodwill’ is invited to attend, he said.  

Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski outside shattered apartment blocks on a previous visit to Ukraine (Picture: Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski)

The occasion will be followed by a memorial service at the St. Volodymyr Statue in Holland Park and a march to the Russian Embassy organised by various Ukrainian groups in London. 

Bishop Nowakowski said: ‘In our service on Friday morning we are going to be remembering those brave young men and women who have lost their lives in the defence of Ukraine and we want to pray for all of those who are still struggling in Ukraine and to assure those who have fled harm’s way and are in the United Kingdom that they are welcome and we will care for them and they are not forgotten.

A drone flying a giant Ukrainian national flag passes over the Motherland Monument in Kyiv (Picture: File image by Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)

‘It’s a time for us to show our gratitude to so many people in the United Kingdom for their kindness, generosity and hospitality.

‘It’s also a chance for us to recognise that the government, along with the opposition and civil servants, has been so remarkable over this last year.

‘We will be uniting our prayers with millions of people around the world who will be praying for Ukraine.’ 

Bishop Nowakowski is originally from Canada but has lived in the UK since being appointed Ukrainian Eparchial Bishop of the Holy Family Eparchy in London two years ago. 

The cathedral has rallied behind the response to the full-scale invasion, and it also hosts the Ukrainian Welcome Centre, a partnership with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.  

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The leader of the Ukrainian Catholic community in the UK said millions will unite in prayer after a year of war.